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Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Vincent R. Amanor-Boadu / It is estimated that the animal health biologics sector will increase by over 27% between 2015 and 2020. This projection and the increasing competition among the sector’s players suggests need to find ways to enhance their efficiencies in manufacturing to sustain their relative competitiveness. One approach to enhancing efficiencies is to ensure that all work is done once, i.e., everything is done right the first time. This research focused on human error as a major source of inefficiency in manufacturing and hypothesized that addressing issues that reduce human error would contribute to reducing inefficiencies. The research used the Kaizen process to assess the before and after counts of human error in a biologics manufacturing unit of Z Animal Health Company (ZAHC). The study found that human error accounted for about 51% of all sources of error in the pre-Kaizen period and only about 34% of all errors in the post-Kaizen period, a reduction in excess of 33.3%. Given that humans are directly or indirectly responsible for all activities in the manufacturing process, the Kaizen process also contributed to a reduction in most other error sources. For example, errors in raw materials and components went reduced by about 50%. We tested the hypothesis that undertaking the Kaizen was statistically effective in reducing human error compared to all other errors using a logit model. Our results confirmed this hypothesis, showing that the odds ratio of human error in the post-Kaizen period was about 50% of the odds of non-human error. The research suggests that in a highly technical manufacturing environment, such as in animal health biologics, human errors can be a major problem that can erode competitiveness quickly. Focusing employees’ on root causes of errors and helping them address these through structured quality-enhancing initiatives such as Kaizen produce superior results. It is, therefore, suggested that when organizations discover human error as a major source of inefficiency, it is prudent to help employees understand what they do and how what they do contributes to the overall performance of the organization. This appreciation of how their actions fit into the big picture could provide a foundation upon which significant improvements can be achieved.

Class of 2014 Abstract / Specific Aims: To assess the accuracy of the presentation (signs and symptoms), the diagnostic procedures used to arrive at the final diagnosis, and the ultimate treatment performed in each of the last ten episodes of the first season of the television medical drama, House MD. Methods: A descriptive retrospective analysis of the accuracies and inaccuracies of episodes 13 to 22 in season one of the television series House, MD. The accuracy of each episode in regards to the presenting signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and treatment was rated on a scale of one to four: 1) Correct and usual representation; 2) Correct but somewhat unusual representation; 3) Correct but extremely unusual representation; 4) Incorrect representation. Both researchers evaluated each episode on the above criteria independently, and a cooperative and final rating was chosen upon. Main Results: Results of the ANOVA test did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the three variables (p=0.581). A Tukey HSD post-hoc test was unable to confirm if there was a significant difference between the the three variables. The average rating for the presenting signs and symptoms was 2.50 (±0.707), and 2.30 (±1.160) and 2.10 (±0.568) for diagnostic procedures and treatment, respectively. Conclusion: There was no difference in accuracies between the presenting signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, or treatments in the last ten episodes of the first season of House,MD.

M.Sc. / This short dissertation is intended to give a brief account of the history and current state of affairs in the field of study called 'Zero-one Laws'. The probability of a property P on a class of finite relational structures is defined to be the limit of the sequence of fractions, of the n element structures that satisfy the property P, as n tends to infinity. A class of properties is said to have a Zero-One law if the above limit, which is usually called the asymptotic probability of the property with respect to the given class of finite structures, is either 0 or 1 for each property. The connection to the field of Mathematical Logic is given by the surprising fact that the class of properties definable by a first-order sentence has a Zero-One law with respect to the class of all finite relational structures of the common signature. We cover this result in more detail and discuss several further Zero- One laws for higher-order logics. In particular we will be interested in all those modal formulae which are 'almost surely' frame valid in the finite, i.e. those which have an asymptotic probability equal to 1 with respect to the class of all finite frames. Our goal is to find a purely logical characterization of these formulae by finding a set of axioms which describe such modal formulae absolutely. We devise a strategy and provide some Java programs to aid in this search for future research

M.A. (History) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The aim of this thesis is to discover the level of theoretical knowledge of first aid with students of primary and secondary schools. I would like to also discover the efficiency of teaching the first aid at school so that the students can use the gained information in ther lives. I will find out the theoretical knowledge of first aid by using the quantitative research, questionaire. It is possible to propose the changes of teaching the first aid at schools based on gathered figures in order to teach the theoretical knowledge more effectively.

Schizophrenia is among the most debilitating mental disorders, yet the pathophysiology remains unclear. The basal ganglia, a region of the brain involved in motor, cognitive, and sensory processes, may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Some, but not all, neuroimaging studies suggest abnormalities of the basal ganglia in schizophrenia. However, previous studies have examined whole basal ganglia nuclei as opposed to using a unified basal ganglia complex that incorporates anterior-posterior divisions, dorsal-ventral divisions, and gray-white matter segmentation. The hypothesis for the present study was that basal ganglia sub-regions forming functionally relevant subdivisions might be different in schizophrenia. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 25 first-episode schizophrenia subjects and 24 healthy subjects. Using manual and automated neuroimaging techniques, total and segmented (gray-white matter) volumes were obtained for the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus. For the striatum (caudate and putamen), total and segmented volumes were obtained for their respective sub-regions. These sub-regions were restructured into associative, limbic, and sensorimotor subdivisions. Schizophrenia subjects had 6% smaller gray matter volumes for the caudate and 8% smaller gray matter volumes for the associative striatum relative to healthy subjects. Basal ganglia function was studied by examining performance on a neuropsychological test that assesses frontostriatal functioning. For male subjects there was a significant negative correlation between volume of the associative striatum and performance on the neuropsychological test (r=-0.57, p=0.03). Smaller volumes of the associative striatum were associated with more errors on the neuropsychological test. This test was specific to the associative striatum, as another neuropsychological test did not reveal any correlation. In schizophrenia subjects, the relationship between basal ganglia volumes and motor symptoms severity was examined. For antipsychotic-naive subjects there was a significant negative correlation between volume of the motor striatum and severity of Parkinsonism (r=-0.65, p=0.03). The present study suggests that total basal ganglia nuclei volumes are not different in schizophrenia, but gray matter volumes of total basal ganglia nuclei and subdivisions forming functional units may be different in schizophrenia. Structural abnormalities involving the basal ganglia may lead to disrupted functional circuits in schizophrenia. / Medicine, Faculty of / Graduate

This thesis examines Dene engagement with the diamond mining economy in Canada’s Northwest Territories. While historic treaties, policy and regulation create situations of powerlessness, the space for the negotiation of a bilateral relationship between Treaty mining companies and communities exists, formalized as Impact and Benefit Agreements. An initial emphasis on socio-cultural impacts and vulnerability of the communities in relation to the mines illuminated variable outcomes. This led to a central focus on how outcomes are negotiated, with the outcomes strongly related to forms of community and cultural resilience. Surprisingly, the ability to bounce back, or be resilient (not vulnerable), as defined by the Tåîchô and Yellowknives Dene communities is central to community response and well being in this new economy. The possibility of self determination and the potential to be in relationships of reciprocity are found to be fundamental drivers of community health and thus resilience. Study of the Tåîchô Cosmology surfaces the centrality of reciprocity to cultural resilience wherein the quality and nature of the relationships as inscribed in past and present agreements themselves are of defining importance. New relationships with mining companies are entered with the expectation of reciprocity by communities, so that the exchanges are economic, social, cultural, spiritual and symbolic. This thesis outlines this process as it plays out in the mining economy and as it is manifest in spaces of negotiation, each of which invokes social capital and reciprocity. These include negotiations between: diamond mining companies and the communities; government and communities; diamond mining companies and the workers, and miners and their families and communities. Each of these negotiations is vital in creating the possibility of employment and business. However, relationships with the settler government and with Treaty mining companies are constrained. Many of the limitations identified relate to the assumption by settler society of the universality of their particular values, practices and culture. The thesis argues that Treaty mining companies can shift approaches, both in the orientation to relationship and in the implementation of agreements through the lifecycle of the mine. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mining Engineering, Keevil Institute of / Graduate

In recent years nursing literature has featured a proliferation of discourse pertaining to many aspects of spirituality in nursing. However, there has been a dearth of research related to nurses' personal spirituality and whether or not it helps to shape their nursing practice. This qualitative study explored how spirituality shapes the practice of community health nurses who work in First Nations communities in British Columbia (B.C.). The twelve participants, purposefully sampled, all had at least 2 years experience working in community health in First Nations communities. Using an interpretive descriptive research design, participants were interviewed to explore their lived experiences of spirituality relative to their nursing practice. The analysis of the interview data identified that nurses' spirituality is essential to their practice in terms of "providing care spiritually" versus "providing spiritual care" interventions to their patients as typically depicted in the nursing literature. Moreover, their spirituality is discussed as a pervasive nursing ethic and motivation for patient care that manifests as respect, connectedness, love, acceptance, caring, hope, endurance and compassion towards patients. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest the integration of community health nurses' spirituality into their nursing practice may contribute to the wider aim of health and healing within First Nations communities. Four major themes are presented as research findings: (a) spirituality influences nurses' ability to remain self aware, open-minded and accepting in relation to others; (b) spirituality as a reflexive approach to grounding one's own nursing practice; (c) spiritual awareness fosters appreciation of the need for community healing, and finally (d) self-reflection and providing care spiritually as a route to reciprocal interaction. Also, it was identified that nurses' spirituality nurtures their reflexivity and helps them to: (a) foster culturally safe relationships with patients, (b) realize how colonial issues influence health status in First Nations patients, (c) recognize that cumulative work stress and burn out can be reduced and prevented through relational spiritual practices, and (d) work through their own values, beliefs and prejudices in order to practice nursing based on a model of reciprocal interaction, and culturally safe approaches. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

The Protestant Church has a tradition of active participation in the life of the community. This tradition comes from a conviction that the church has a responsibility to work for the well-being of society. The United Church of Canada is active in the field of social action. It has also assumed responsibility for the operation of some social services. During the past twenty-five years the profession of social work has made tremendous strides and is now taking its place as one of the major professions. Many services, formerly offered by the church, are now included in distinctive social work agencies. The relationship between the church and these social work agencies is one that interests the writer. There are some within the church who would advocate a Protestant bloc of social services in the community, others feel the church's contribution must be indirect through the participation of its leaders and members in the work of the social agencies, and a few would restrict the church to a centre for worship and religious teaching. The secularism of the modern age has impelled many to consider the Protestant Church's relationship to education and social welfare. One of the principal home mission agencies of the Protestant church is the institutional church, a centre for a religious and social service ministry. These churches are situated in deteriorated parts of the city. Some would advocate an extension of this programme into the transitional areas of the city. This thesis has sought to examine the place of the church in social welfare programmes and to relate this to the study of an institutional church. First United Church is located on the periphery of a deteriorated area and is also adjacent to a transitional area in the city. Its programme has been studied in the light of its service to these specific areas. Finally, the Demonstration Housing Survey of the University of British Columbia is recommending that the Strathcona district be replanned and that a low-rent housing project be erected in this section of the city. Consideration has been given to the possible modification of services which would be indicated and the new opportunities for community service which would be presented if this project proceeds. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate